Kooza

Cirque du Soleil is not for the faint hearted. If you can bear to tear your eyes away from the show you will see the rest of the audience biting their nails with racing hearts. KOOZA is spectacular, it is impressive, and it comes from another world – a world where we can balance at great heights on a tiny wire, where we can fold ourselves completely in half, where we can jump ten meters into the air and land calmly on both feet… The performance is an adrenaline packed feast of entertainment; just make sure your children know never to try what they see at home!

KOOZA is full of charming comedy as it centres itself around the story of an innocent clown who is taught the art of the circus by the more experienced trickster. We follow the journey of this adorable little clown as he watches the most sparkling of acts. The carnivalesque set, designed by Stéphane Roy, emerges out of the shadows to reveal an elaborate stage and orchestra level patterned with Indian style jewels and colours. Looking up to the sky the set becomes even more complex and elaborate and it is here that the impressive lighting design by Martin Labrecque is centred. The music is consistently excellent with highlights from the two vocalists, Vedra Chandler and Marie-Pier Guilbault, and the powerful percussionist, Fernando Diaz on his very exciting drum kit. A comic array of characters including a mad king, crazy clowns, and a giant dog, lead us through the performance, a welcome relief from the sublime danger and tension created by the acts. It is refreshing to see a performance that relies so much on pure technical skill to also focus on the story, the artistry, and the creativity of their work.

The dynamitic spectacle of each act is incredible; we experience feats of immense strength and power in the ensemble pieces, beautifully choreographed by Clarence Ford. The three contortionists in their glittering gold, are mesmeric as they fold over one another and climb into the most polished and unnatural looking positions. The Unicycle duo, accompanied by Parisian style romantic music, are superb as they work together to carry out what is both impressive in its technique and entrancing in its style. The high wire is suitably terrifying and the artists play on our emotions as they pretend to wobble and slip. Of course when they end up cycling along a thin wire many metres above the ground, balancing their bikes and themselves and holding up a man on a little chair, we know that their previous wobbles were part of the act. The gothic and terrifying wheel of death, set up by a burlesque skeleton dance, is a highlight as two artists propel themselves around in a constant cycle of jumps at great heights. However, it is the teeterboard that creates the most gasps from the audience as each jump gets more complex, more dangerous, and more exciting.

KOOZA is a wonderful night of entertainment, suitable for children and adults alike. It provides the perfect escape from the January greyness and the back to school blues as it transports the audience to a place where anything is possible.

About The Author

Lucy Ashe trained at the Royal Ballet School before moving to Oxford University to study English Literature. She now teaches English and Drama at Harrow School; her role at the school includes directing plays and choreographing for musicals. She enjoys reviewing all theatre with particular interest in dance.

Support Plays To See

We need sponsors in order to expand our network of contributors and our connections with theatres and cultural organisations around the world.

We are now able to accept credit/debit card donations directly from this site, with the security of PayPal. No sum is too small.

Thank you for your support!

Donate Today!

Kooza

2015-01-07

5.0Reviewer's Rating

Playstosee.com is a showcase for talent, particularly young talent, allowing them a platform to share their knowledge and appreciation of drama, musicals, opera, comedy, cabaret, ballet and even the circus. Our reach is truly global so our reviewers have the pleasure of knowing that their reviews will be read by people around the world.

We need sponsors in order to expand our network of contributors and our connections with theatres and cultural organisations around the world.

No sum is too small.

To pledge a donation by cheque, select ‘Offline Donation’ below. For a donation via credit card, select the PayPal option – you do not actually need a PayPal account in order to make a credit card donation through PayPal.

Add 25% more to your donation at no cost to you. A Gift Aid declaration allows Plays To See to claim tax back on eligible donations. It means that for every £1 you donate to Plays To See we can claim back 25p, at no extra cost to you.

By ticking the "Yes" box, I agree I would like Plays To See to reclaim the tax on all qualifying donations I have made, as well as any future donations, until I notify them otherwise. I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year I may be asked to pay any difference. I understand that Plays To See will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid does not cost you a penny more, but can add an additional 25p to every £1 you donate. When Plays To See receives a donation from a UK taxpayer, we're entitled to claim an amount of tax (calculated at the basic rate of income tax in that year) paid on that donation. Once you have given your permission for us to do this on your behalf, there is no need for you to do anything else.

All that is required is that you must be a taxpayer and that would have paid or will pay sufficient Income and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover all the Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year. Please note that it is your responsibility to pay any difference.

The amount of tax we claim will be 25% of the total value of your donations in that tax year. Furthermore, if you are a higher taxpayer, you are also entitled to claim the difference between the basic rate which we will claim and the amount of tax you have actually paid. For further details on how you can do this, please contact your tax office. If your tax situation changes and your gifts will no longer be eligible for the Gift Aid scheme please contact us and we will amend your record accordingly.

Sometimes there is as much drama in a musical performance such as an opera or a lieder recital as there is in any play. ...

Our Mission

Plays To See explores diverse cultures through the medium of the performing arts. It aims to promote interest in the theatre and foster dialogue, understanding and appreciation for different artistic productions around the world.
Our scope is wide-ranging, from Greek tragedy to stand-up comedy; from ballet and opera to mime and experimental theatre.